Thread: Super budget scopes worth a try, or not?

I know you get what you pay for and these are only $149 ........but has anyone tried them or similar super budget variable scopes? My guess is replies will be don't bother but thought I'd ask just in case they're actually acceptable compared to other <$500 scopes.
https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/hun...0140b6c4f2ecd3

Depends. It might not dial very well but i couldn't imagine how a 22 would kill one.

Nonononono! want a translation? NO!

One of the first scopes i bought was a cheap job, when you turned up the magnification the reticle spun around inside the scope body. Its a gamble, it might do the job fine or you might have just wasted $150. If you buy a cheap scope and it breaks you're likely going to end up buying something more expensive after that anyway so yeah, imo buy it once buy it right.

depends on what you want it to do and how serious you are about shooting . . . if all of your gear is cheap, it will fit in nicely.

If $150 is all you can afford or justify, IMO you are better off buying a better quality scope second hand.
Or hold off and save more.

What do you want it for ?

For .22 shooting on range or spotlighting possums or day shooting rabbits, you don't need much ruggedness nor resolution but you do need close focus, so a cheap scope can work pretty well. I use a Leapers 3-12x44 on my air rifle and its just fine. It's rated for air rifle recoil. I don't dial it though. And I wouldn't take it out for deer. So, it can be done ultrabudget for some applications.

For deer hunting in NZ mountains you do need reliability and waterproofness but not dialling and not parallax. If your budget extends to $400 then I'd recommend an entry level Leupold or a Redfield. I wouldn't use those on a springer air rifle.

As has been said, what will it be used for? Plinking on a farm or range, fine. Spend $100s if not 1000s on helicopter to the top of the southern alps looking for a lifetime trophy to be let down by your scope not so good.

I find all the real cheap scopes go blurry at high magnification so it just becomes a waste of time having it, better off looking for something with less magnification.

I agree, horses for courses. The cheap scopes that I have had work ok at the bottom of the zoom range but are terrible towards the top. This makes buying a 6 - 24 x power cheap scope useless as anything above 12 x they start to lose clarity so really you don't have a 6 - 24 x power scope but a 6 - 12 x as that's all that is usable.

I have had good runs out of some cheap stuff and also had it fail on occasions. "You pays your money and you takes your chances"

Plinking and the odd walk round a farm then cheap will do the job.

High volume shooting ( central Otago rabbits ) cheap scope will die sooner or later and it's probably sooner, also it loses it's zero a lot.

Generally I find tough conditions needs a tough scope and that comes with a bigger price tag.

the nikko Stirling scopes are not terrible you can often find them cheap, i have a 4x eagle on my 10/22 its up to the job slaying possums.

Apparently, according to some of the Whangarei NRA club members, the Discovery scopes that you get off AliExpress are really good.


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Cheers. I wasn't thinking of this scope in particular. It was an example and it more just a general question about what really needed as there's such a massive spread in prices.
I don't have any gear yet and first thoughts had been $1500 new rifle plus $500 scope but seems many shooting open high country opt for $1500 - $2000 scopes. Like VX-5HD.
That's 10 times the prices of these cheapies and 4 times the $500 scopes that possibly (probably?) still be ok for high country 400-600m shots.
So much to learn!

iv watched bushnell scopes fall apart on a mini 14 just from recoil
cost a ton in ammo as it would only throw the occasional shot as the reticle came loose
i hate the idea that my scope will fail when im out hunting

if you only shoot in gentle situations they might last
mine bounce around in vehicles

Imo if you must go for a cheap scope, go for something simple so more money is spent on things that actually matter and not added complexity and things that have no place on a cheap optic. eg illuminated reticle, target turrets, adjustable parallax etc.

If i was looking to buy a cheap scope it would be as no-frills as possible. Probably a basic 3-9 with capped turrets, no illumination, no parallax adjustment etc. Its added complexity & cost to manufacture stuffed into a $150 price point = quality on what really matters has to suffer.

I think a basic $150 scope, will be better at doing scope-like-tasks, than a $150 scope with "all the bells and whistles"